Articulated denture



April 24, 1951 J. M. YATES ARTICULATED DENTURE Filed March 8, 1948 INVENTOR. Jack M Yczi'efi "upon one saddle causes the latter Patented Apr. 24, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTICULATED DENTURE Jack M. Yates, Seaside, Oreg. Application March 8, 1948, Serial No. 13,602

' 7 Claims. (01. 32-5) This invention pertains to dentures, and relates particularly to novel means for linking a partial denture to a natural tooth without placing stresses upon the latter as the denture moves about in'response to pressures exerted by opposing teeth. 7 p

' With the loss of natural teeth necessitating the installation of a partial denture, there are certain conditions attending the loss and subsequent substitution which are recognized as beingiirnportant factors controlling the proper functioning of the artificial denture. Attending the "loss of natural teeth is a shrinking of the gum into a more compact mass. The shrinking is gradual, notwithstanding a rapid initial "contraction, and generally prevails long afterthe denture has been installed.

Furthermore, the loss of natural teeth re-' moves-the foundation about which the gum is normally supported, and it becomes structurally weak and resilient.- Thus, pressures exerted upon the denture by opposing teeth during mastication and transmitted" thereby to the gum are not "resisted by the later, and the denture is caused to move therewith. Since dentures of this type are generally anchored either in fixed or removable fashion, to a natural tooth, movement of the denture would impose severe strains thereupon unless a flexible connection were provided betwee'n the denture and the clasp.

' Suchj connections as have been provided heretofore; although relieving certain stresses otherwise imposed upon the anchor tooth, incur other and equally injurious and painful consequences. Chief among these is the irritation of the gum adjacent the lingual band which is secured to the saddle of the denture, for, as the saddle moves in response to pressures, so also does the lingual band move. In the case where saddles are provided on'both sides of the jaw, the lingual band 'connectingthe two may reciprocate verticallyias pressure is applied evenly toboth saddles, or it-- may twist or cant, as pressure exerted to move through a vertical distance greater than the second saddle. This latter action also occurs when only one saddle is used and is connected .by'a lingual band to a tooth on the opposite side of the jaw. The gum underlying the saddle likewise'b'ecomes irritated. When pressures are exerted downwardly upon the saddle, the flexible gum therebeneath' is caused to move laterally and longitudinally and is chafed because the saddleis restricted to movement in a vertical plane." T

It is a principal objective of the present invention to provide a denture in which the saddle and the lingual band and for the tooth engaging clasp are flexibly joined in such manner as to permit vertical movement of the saddles without effecting movement of the band or clasp.

Another object of the invention is to provide a denture which is articulated between the saddle and lingual band in such'manner as to permit relative lateral and longitudinal movement therebetween. v

A further object of the invention is to provide in a denture having a saddle. member and a tooth engaging member means for permitting relative universal motion between said members except rotational motion of said'saddle member about its longitudinal axis, said means being of simple and sturdy construction and capable of being readily cleaned.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the denture construction of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken along th lines 22 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the joiningmeans taken along the lines 33 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view showing a modification of the joining means illustrated in Fig. 3.

In the drawing, numeral l designates the base of a partial denture, commonly referred to as a saddle, upon which the artificial teeth 2 are mounted. Fig. 1 shows two of such saddles with teeth mounted thereon for replacing natural teeth lost from both sides of the jaw. The saddles are joined at their forward ends toa lingual band 3 upon which band is provided means, such as the clasps 4, by which the denture is anchored to normal live teeth 5, generally termed anchor, or abutment, teeth. The lingual band overlies the gum E surrounding the incisor teeth at the front of the mouth.

In articulated dentures of prior construction the lingual band and saddle are secured rigidly together, and a flexible link is provided between the anchor clasp and the denture. Such construction permits vertical movement of the saddle and band with respect to the anchor clasp, and results in painful irritation of the gum with which the band is in contact as the latter slides over the former. Moreover, the links of prior construction permits only vertical movement of the saddle, and irritation of the gum lying therebeneath results because the gum moves laterally and longitudinally, as well as vertically, when pressure is applied downwardl upon the saddle. The denture construction of the present invention eliminates these deleterious effects completely by rendering the lingual band and for the tooth engaging clasp immovable and providing a flexible connection between the band or clasp and the saddle by means of which the latter may move in vertical, lateral and longitudinal directions relative to the former but restricted against rotational movement of the saddle about its longitudinal axis.

The flexible link comprises a slotted socket 1 for receiving the enlarged end of a tongue 3. Although Fig. 1 shows the socket formed in the ends of the lingual band adjacent theanchor clasps and the tonguessecured to the denture saddles, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the locations of the parts may be reversed, i. e. the tongues may be formed in the ends of the band and the sockets in the denture saddles.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the socket I comprises a cylindrical bore formed in the end of the metal band 3, and a slot in the wall of said bore extend ing longitudinally thereof. The tongue 8 comprises a fiat piece of metal secured at one end to the saddle and extending longitudinally therefrom. The free end of the tongue is tapered inwardly to form a neck 9, and is then upset atthe extreme end to form an elongated head it of cylindrical shape. The diameter of the head is substantially less than the diameter of the socket bore, thereby permitting freedom of movement of the former within the latter and providing for longitudinal motion of the saddle. The longitudinal dimensions of the head and neck are substantially less than the longitudinal dimensions of the socket bore and slot, respectivel thus providing for vertical movement of the saddle with respecct to the lingual band and anchor clasp. The lateral dimensions of the neck and slot, however, are substantially the same, thus preventing rotation of the tongue about its longitudinal axis. In this manner the saddle is prevented from rotating about its longitudinal axis and sliding over the surface or" the gum. Surficient lateral movement of the saddle to accommodate similar displacement of the gum is provided by rounding the side edges of the slot, thereby permitting the tongue to pivot about a vertical axis.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawing, the free end of the tongue 8 is formed in the shape of a T head which is received in the T'-slot l l forming the socket. The lateral dimension of the handle of the T forming the end of the tongue is substantially the same as the dimensions of its complementary slot for preventing rotation of the tongue about its longitudinal axis, while the vertical and horizontal depth of said slot is greater than the complementing dimensions of the tongue handle to provide for vertical, lateral and longitudinal movement of the saddle, as may readily be understood from the drawing, In this construction, the lateral dimensions of the tongue neck 9 and slot I2 in which it is received need not be the same, as was required in the construction previously described. It is necessary only that the lateral dimension of the slot 12 be less than the lateral dimension of the 4 handle of the tongue in order that the head be retained within the socket.

In operation, the denture of the present invention is inserted in the mouth of the wearer, the saddle or saddles of the denture being positioned upon the gum from which natural teeth have been extracted. The clasps formed on the lingual band are engaged with the natural anchor teeth firmly to position the lingual band adjacent the gum surrounding the base of the incisor teeth disposed across the front of the mouth. As the opposing teeth engage the denture, as in the process of masticating food, the saddle is caused to press upon the underlying resilient gum as the tongue head moves longitudinally Within the socket. The gum is compressed, and it frequently shifts laterally from and longitudinally of its normal position. The saddle is capable of following the shifting of the gum because of the looseness of fit between the socket and the tongue head in all directions except that which would permit the tongue and saddle to rotate about their common longitudinal axis. Inasmuch as the saddle is capable of following themovements of the gum, the latter does not rub upon the former, and irritation of the gum is obviated. Furthermore, since the lingual band is positively secured to the anchor teeth and does not move with the 'saddles,'irritation of the gum underlying the lingual band cannot occur. 7

Although Fig. 1 of the drawing illustrates a denture composed of two saddles, the features of the present invention are equally adaptable for use on dentures having but one saddle. Similarly, the articulating connection of the present invention'may be adapted to such dentures as do not employ a lingual band, but merely use an anchor clasp by means of which the saddle is secured in proper position. There are many other modifications which may be made in the constructional features of the invention without departing from the spirit thereof, and it is intended that the above description be considered as merely illustrative of the novel featureof the invention.

I claim:

1. A denture comprising, a saddle member, means for anchoring said saddle to a natural tooth, and articulating means for connecting said saddle member and said anchoring means, said means comprising, a tongue secured to the end of one of said members, an enlarged free end on said tongue forming an elongated head the longitudinal axis of which extends normalto the plane of said members, and an elongated socket in the end of the other of said members arranged and positioned to receive said head for independent universal movement thereof except rotation of said tongue about its longitudinal axis.

2. A denture comprising, a saddle member, a lingual band member, means on said lingual band for anchoring said saddle to a natural tooth, and articulating means for connecting said saddle member and said lingual band member, said means comprising, a tongue secured to said saddle member and extending longitudinally thereof, an enlarged free endon said tongue forming a head the longitudinal axis of which extends normal to the plane of said members, and an. elongated socket formed in the endof said linguaLband member arranged and positioned to receive said head for independent universal movement thereof except rotation of said tongueabout its longitudinal axis. v

3. A denture anchoring device comprising, in combination with a saddle member and a lingual in the end of the other of said members arranged and positioned to receive said head ior'findependent universal movement thereof except rotation of said tongue about its longitudinal axis.

4. Means for articulating a denture having a saddle member and a lingual band member carrying tooth engaging means, said means comprising, a tongue secured to the end of; one of said members, an enlarged free end on said tongue forming a T-shaped head the longitudinal axis of which extends normal to the plane of said members, and an elongated socket :in the end of the other of said members arrangedjand positioned to receive said head for independent universal movement thereof except rotation of said tongue about its longitudinal axis.;,

5. In a denture having a saddle member and a lingual band member, articulating means for connecting said saddle member and said, lingual band member, said means comprising, a tongue secured to the end of one of said membersgfan enlarged free end on said tongue forming a head the longitudinal axis of which extends normal to the plane of said members, and an elongated socket in the end of the other of said members arranged and positioned to receive said head forv independent universal movement thereof except' rotation of said tongue about its longitudinal axis.

6. Agdenture comprising, an elongated lingual band {carrying an articulated respect to said band in all directions except rotation about the longitudinal axis of the saddle.

7. Ad'enture comprising, an elongated lingual band carrying an articulated joining means at one terminal end, a tooth-engaging means carried adjacent but spaced inwardly from each end of said band, an elongated saddle member joined tdsaid one end of said band by said articulated'fjoining means, said articulated joining means accommodating limited movement of said saddl'ejwith respect to said band in all directions excep't rotation about the longitudinal axis of the saddle. l

JACK'M. YATES.

REFERENCES The'following references arefof record in the file oithis patent: E UNITED STATES Pg rENTs Number Name Date 1,519,505 Noyes Dec. '16, 1924 1,912,212 McMahon May 30, 1933 2,118,555 Gifien May 24, 1938 

